The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-06-16
Churchill's Arrangement Of the Sal.
lsbury Ministry.

From the New Orleans Pcayune.
In publicly charging that the revenues
of the British government are recklessly
and wastefully expended while the British
empire is left without adequate prepare
ton for either an offensive or defensive
war, Lord Randolph Churchill has com.
mitted himself to an arraignment Of the
Salisbury ministry which, if true, ought at
once to bring about change of admins
tration. The matter will, of course, be
forced immediately upon the attention of
parliament, and the noble lord will have
an opportunity to prove in tho house of
commons what he has charged upon the
stump. If he were not free lance and a
sensationalist we could not be-
lieve that he would make accusa-
lions of so grave a nature, if he
were not prepared to substantiate Them
when challenged to do so, as no doubt he
will be at very early date. Having been
at one time himself a member of the Sails
bury cabinet he has had some opportunity
| to acquaint himself with the real con-
dition of the departments which he critl-
cises. But if he had knowle dge OF the
damaging facts of which he now gives
notice to the whole world, why did he not
make them public when he withdrew from
Office? Certainly, there has been no time
to lose Europe has been on the brink of
war which would in all probability have in
volved great Britain, during all these
months in which Lord Randolph Churchill
has maintained silence, If his country
was not ready for war it was his duty to
declare the fact and to prove it.
Under the circumstances we are in
clined to suspect that Lord Randolph
Churchill has greatly exaggerated the
weakness of the British army and navy
J When he declares that he has plan by
which the country could at once shorten
its expenses and increase its strength, he
has very much the appearance of man
bidding for Office. H9 cannot return to
the Salisbury government after this at
tack, nor could he, as defender of the
policy of coercion, be admitted to any
cabinet controlled by the liberals; but it is
possible that he is seeking to wreck the
present ministry and to force a new cleo
ton. His dream may be a combination
, of progressive tories and conservative
liberals, with himself in the premier's
position. 1t seems to us that his lord
, ships ambition has always beer
in advance of service and beyond hi;
capacity. It. sometimes iutimated that
in alleging difference with the
premier in regard to the naval estimator
as the cause of his retirement from office
he was merely attempting to cover will
some show of dignity his retreat from
= position which his colleagues had design
eddy made untenable by him. He wa
rude, capricious and domineerIng, and
3 worst of all, he would occasionally commi
himself upon important questions o
policy without consultation with his chic
f or any other member of the ministry. l
q was small wonder. then, if his room wa
I considered better than his company, ant
if he was virtually forced to take thu
course which he would have appear tn
result of his patriotic convictions. How
ever these things may be, Lord Churchill
must now make his charges good or sub
side into shameful silence. If he succeed
: in proving his charges, the logical result
i would be vote of want of confidence il
the present administration; if he fails h
y will suffer fatal loss of prestige and put
:, lie confidence.